Notes and Editorial Reviews

Okko Kamu is a pro, and a thoroughly idiomatic Sibelius conductor, and of course the Lahti Symphony Orchestra's credentials already have been certified. The performances are excellent and full of personal touches. In the Tempest Suites, Kamu is always sensitive to the music's subtle details, particularly regarding string articulation (critical in Sibelius). "Miranda", for example, is unusually wistful but not sleepy, and if "Caliban's Song" sounds a bit too legato, you do get a vivid sense of a corpulent, swaggering creature. The Overture is amazingly clear harmonically, yet also powerful. In short: a terrific performance.

In the two tone poems, Kamu really doesRead more capture that quintessentially Sibelius combination of elegance and primal power that makes the music so compelling. The Bard is perfectly paced, with a hair-raising climax. Tapiola is best of all. Listen to the edgy intensity of the woodwinds at the start--and Kamu's timing (17-and-a-half minutes) combines brooding intensity with the necessary sense of movement. The Lahti orchestra is not large, and you can't expect the sheer power of, say, Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic strings in the final storm, so what Kamu sacrifices in sheer weight he makes up for in energy. Top-notch SACD engineering makes this as fine a Sibelius disc as, well, any.

--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.Read less

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review: ( 1 Customer Review )

Fine Sibelius!July 27, 2012By Gail M. (Goleta, CA)See All My Reviews"This disk offers excellent performances of Sibelius' Tempest, Bard, and Tapiola, in top quality modern sound. Kamu and the Lahti Symphony Orchestra present the collection of pieces making up The Tempest with everything one could expect. Some parts of The Tempest are music with atmosphere but little contrast, soon balanced by a more lively section. In my opinion the highlight of this disk is Tapiola, Sibelius' final masterpiece. This performance is comparable to the very best. Dramatic tension builds steadily until it discharges violently in the passage for brass near the conclusion. Only the amazing Tapiola performances by Karajan generate more terror at that point. Highly recommended!"Report Abuse